Italy's Alessandro Del Piero falls to the ground after a tackle with Norway's Henning Berg, left, while captain Paolo Maldini looks on during a second round match of France 98 World Cup between Italy and Norway at Le Velodrome stadium in Marseille Saturday, June 27, 1998. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)Italy holds on for 1-0 win over Norway

The Associated Press

MARSEILLE, France (AP) - Italy has the top scorer in the World Cup and a berth in the quarterfinals. What it lacks is the respect of the coach it beat to get there.

Christian Vieri, hot as the sunbaked afternoon by the Mediterranean, scored the game's only goal and his fifth of the tournament for a 1-0 victory over Norway Saturday.

Italy's defenders choked off Norway's dangerous high-ball attacks and eliminated the Scandinavian team with its first loss in 18 games. Norway beat defending champion Brazil to reach the second round.

That didn't mean that Egil Olsen was about to praise the winners. The Norwegian coach said he had seen better than the Blues.

"I was not impressed by Italy," Olsen said. "Our performance was too low today. We were unable to take advantage of good chances in the second part of the second half, when Italy was visibly tired."

The heat may have weakened both teams. Temperatures were in the upper 80s and public-address announcements warned fans to drink plenty of water.

"It affected our team, and I think it got to Italy, too," Olsen said.

Vieri, who developed his soccer talents while growing up in Australia, scored on a classic counterattack in the 18th minute. Midfielder Luigi Di Biagio sent a long pass and Vieri outraced defender Dan Eggen, driving a right-footed shot past goalie Frode Grodas.

The 24-year-old Vieri, who had only two goals in eight career appearances for Italy before the World Cup, moved ahead of Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta as the tournament's leading scorer.

Italian coach Cesare Maldini said his team was pressed in the last 25 minutes as the Norwegians tried for a tie, which would have sent the game into sudden-death overtime.

"We have the merit to have defeated the team which had stunned the world champions, the great Brazil," Maldini said.

Maldini also praised Vieri and the full team effort.

"His teammates helped to provide him good balls and to preserve the advantage," Maldini said.

Norway's best shot on goal in the first half came when Havard Flo's 20-yard drive was pushed away by Gianluca Pagliuca in the 14th minute.

But Pagliuca saved his best moment for the second half, diving to the right to gather Tore Andre Flo's close-range header off a cross from Erik Mykland with 19 minutes to play.

Grodas made three fine saves for Norway, one off Dino Baggio's header following a corner kick in the 37th minute and two off Alessandro Del Piero on counterattacks in the 41st and in first-half injury time.

"Our goal was to go through and be among the last 16. We reached that," Olsen said. "But when you are there, you want to go further. We had a good chance today."

By ending Norway's unbeaten streak of 17 matches - including two wins in a year against Brazil - Italy moved 3-0 against the Norwegians in World Cup play, including a 1-0 victory in the 1994 World Cup.